Wednesday, June 25, 2014

FANTASIA Announces It's First Wave of 2014 Programming

The 18th annual Fantasia International Film Festival is gearing up to take Montreal by storm with three weeks of inspiration and excitement starting July 17 until August 5, 2014.
Our full 2014 lineup of programming and special events will be revealed
shortly, but in the meantime, here’s an early First Wave Announcement
of several selected highlights and info to whet your appetite.

On May 7 of last year, Ray Harryhausen,
filmmaker and stop-motion special effects pioneer, passed away at the
age of 92. Mr. Harryhausen created some of the most beloved and
innovative fantastic film imagery of all time in such classics as THE
7th VOYAGE OF SINBAD and JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS. He was the last
surviving member of a trio of equally famous friends who met in the late
1930s at a science-fiction association, and went on to become the
founding fathers of modern-day genre invention and appreciation. The
other two figures were renowned author Ray Bradbury (FARENHEIT 451, THE ILLUSTRATED MAN, SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES) and journalist Forrest J. Ackerman,
editor and principal writer of the groundbreaking American genre film
magazine FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND and possibly the world's most avid
collector of fantasy books and cinema memorabilia. Their friendship
evolved over seven decades, in which their affection for each other
never diminished as they kept in touch and appeared in their later years
at conventions, joyously sharing amazing stories with adoring fans
young and old.

Through their work and energy, Harryhausen, Bradbury, and Ackerman have
inspired many of the leading figures of genre cinema in recent decades,
from George Lucas and Steven Spielberg to James Cameron, John Landis,
Peter Jackson, Joe Dante, and Tim Burton. In 2005, Ray Harryhausen was
the first recipient of Fantasia’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

The poster art is also inspired by an old legend from Québecois folklore — La Chasse Galerie
(otherwise known as “the Bewitched Canoe”) — in which lumberjacks, far
away from their loved ones on New Year’s Eve, struck a deal with the
devil to provide them with a means of quick transport over a great
distance to their families. The devil obliged in providing them with a
flying canoe, which he himself piloted. In the background, you can also
see the festival’s black horse, itself inspired by another local
folktale, the legend of the Cheval Noir. Fantasia has adopted the black
horse as its emblematic symbol for the prize awarded by the main jury to
the best film. We love the idea of fusing Québec folklore with the
roots of modern genre creation and appreciation.

A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR MAMORU OSHIIA towering and truly unique figure in
Japanese animation, director Mamoru Oshii will be a recipient of
Fantasia’s Lifetime Achievement Award. From pioneering OVAs DALLOS and
the haunting ANGEL’S EGG, and of course the beloved PATLABOR series, of
the 1980s, through the dramatically influential global hit GHOST IN THE
SHELL in the mid-’90s, to its award-winning sequel and other powerful,
pensive works in the new millennium (SKY CRAWLERS, AVALON), Oshii has
consistently strived to bring new ideas and in fact a whole new attitude
to anime. With his meticulous and idiosyncratic near-future thrillers
and dramas, linked by persistent themes, motifs and concerns, Oshii
asserts a complex, deeply thoughtful and decidedly adult sensibility —
while maintaining the highest technical standards in the field (and
hardly confining his efforts to animation). In seeking a path to call
his own, Oshii has blazed a trail for fantastic entertainment worldwide
to follow.

Mamoru Oshii will be receiving his award on our opening night, July 17, before a special screening of the new HD master of GHOST IN THE SHELL,
being re-issued by Manga Entertainment and Anchor Bay Entertainment in
celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the original manga’s publication.
This will be the first time the GITS HD print has been made available
outside of Japan, lovingly restored, unadulterated and awe-inspiring in
its beauty.

OPENING FILM: JACKY IN THE KINGDOM OF WOMEN (JACKY AU ROYAUME DES FILLES)
Fantasia 2014 will launch with the Canadian premiere of JACKY IN THE
KINGDOM OF WOMEN (Jacky au royaume des filles), a sharp political satire
from comic book genius Riad Sattouf (LES BEAUX GOSSES) that took the
Rotterdam Film Festival by storm.

Set in the Democratic Republic of Bubunne where women lead and men are
obligated to wear a veil and serve them, this subversive black comedy
follows Jacky (Vincent Lacoste), a one-of-a-kind Cinderella, who wishes
to marry the powerful and gorgeous Colonel (Charlotte Gainsbourg),
daughter of the country's leader (Anémone). You don’t think when you’re
in love, you push on, and sometimes accidentally set off a coup d’état.
The provocative and smart JACKY IN THE KINGDOM OF WOMEN couldn’t be more
timely, urgent or funny.

CENTERPIECE PRESENTATION: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXYFantasia will hold a special screening of
the hotly anticipated new installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe,
starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, and the voice talents
of Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper, directed by none other than James Gunn
(SUPER, SLITHER) and presented in dazzling 3D.

ADDITIONAL FIRST WAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS INCLUDE:AMONG THE LIVING
France Dir: Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury
Leave it to the makers of INSIDE and LIVID to rework STAND BY ME as the
horror film Stephen King always knew it could be. A tribute to ’80s
cinema turned completely on its head, then decapitated. A standout at
SXSW and the Brussels Fantastic Film Festival. Canadian Premiere

ANGRY VIDEO GAME NERD: THE MOVIE
USA Dir: Kevin Finn, James D. Rolfe
He is the enemy of the weak and wasteful, of garbage gameplay and lousy
graphics, the one and only Angry Video Game Nerd! James D. Rolfe’s
longstanding hit web series powers up to its big-screen debut!
International Premiere

BOYHOOD
USA Dir: Richard Linklater
Over a decade ago, Richard Linklater assembled a cast he would film over
a dozen years, to tell an utterly authentic tale of American childhood
and adolescence. Many critics already call it one of the year’s best
films, and so will you. Winner of the Silver Bear at the 2014 Berlin
Film Festival and the Lone Star Award at SXSW 2014, this unique coming
of age drama will launch the fifth edition of Fantasia’s Camera Lucida
section. Quebec Premiere

BROS BEFORE HOS
Netherlands Dir: Steffen Haars, Flip Van der Kuil
Following the awful breakup of their parents’ marriage, two brothers
seal a pact that neither shall ever enter into a serious relationship
with a woman. The Netherland’s renegade NEW KIDS team returns, still
riotous and right on the edge of good taste. International Premiere

CYBERNATURAL
USA Dir: Leo Gabriadze
On the anniversary of a teen’s suicide, the six cyberbullies responsible
meet online for a group chat. A seventh, anonymous participant joins
them. Told entirely by way of a character's computer screen, CYBERNATURAL
brilliantly nails the ways in which we communicate and present ourselves
online, hitting hard with a new kind of horror for an increasingly
connected-yet-disconnected world. Produced by Timur Bekmambetov (WANTED,
NIGHTWATCH). World Premiere

CROWS EXPLODE
Japan Dir: Toshiaki Toyoda
Fists will fly and beatings will abound, but the greatest battles are
always in the hearts of the sneering, delinquent punks of the notorious
Suzuran All-Boys High School. After Takashi Miike, it's now BLUE SPRING
director Toshiaki Toyoda's turn to make a knuckle mark on the CROWS ZERO
franchise. North American Premiere

DEALER
France Dir: Jean Luc Herbulot
Directed with volcanic energy, DEALER is a sturdy thriller that drags
its audience full-steam ahead through a Parisian underbelly filled with
hoods and thugs, marking the powerful arrival of one of the most
promising new voices in French genre cinema. A feature-film baptism
filled with noise and fury. World Premiere

GIOVANNI'S ISLAND
Japan Dir: Mizuho Nishikubo
A gracefully executed anime from Production I.G, examining the struggles
of the Japanese in the immediate aftermath of World War II, from the
perspective of a child. As beautiful as it is devastating, GIOVANNI'S
ISLAND received a Jury Mention at the prestigious Annecy International
Animation Film Festival. Canadian Premiere

HAN GONG-JU
South Korea Dir: Lee Su-jin
A troubled teenage girl flees her past — is she guilty or a victim? A
multiple prize winner, notably attaining the Silver Tiger Award at this
year's Rotterdam International Film Festival, HAN GONG-JU is a
magnificent yet devastating debut feature of incredible narrative
virtuosity. Canadian Premiere

THE HUNTRESSES
South Korea Dir: Park Jae-hyun
A trio of daring and dangerous bounty-hunting beauties find themselves
in a high-risk, high-stakes game of subterfuge and swordplay in medieval
Korea. A rousing and fast-paced action-adventure with a dash of romance
and a barge-load of slapstick laughs! International Premiere

I ORIGINS
USA Dir: Mike Cahill
From the director and star (Brit Marling) of ANOTHER EARTH comes another
science fiction drama about a molecular biologist and his partner whose
unique experiments may change the nature of society itself. Canadian
Premiere

INTO THE STORM
USA Dir: Steven Quayle
In the span of a single day, the town of Silverton is ravaged by an
unprecedented onslaught of tornadoes. The entire town is at the mercy of
the erratic and deadly cyclones, even as storm trackers predict the
worst is yet to come. Most people seek shelter, while others run towards
the vortex, testing how far a storm chaser will go for that
once-in-a-lifetime shot. Quebec Premiere

KILLERS
Indonesia/Japan Dir: The Mo Brothers
Two serial killers. One likes to kill, the other seeks justice. The
problem is, the first one is mentoring the latter... Social media will
bring a storm of blood over both Tokyo and Jakarta in this shocking yet
incredibly smart horror thriller in the vein of THE CHASER and COLD FISH
that floored audiences at Sundance. Canadian Premiere

KITE
USA/Mexico Dir: Ralph Ziman
The controversial and influential anime finally sees a live-action
adaptation, stylishly directed by award-winning South African filmmaker
Ralph Ziman (JERUSALEMA) and backed by a cast that features Samuel L.
Jackson, Callan McAuliffe, and India Eisley. The film succeeds
brilliantly in blending the elements that made the original material a
mythical piece of art. International Premiere

LIVE
Japan Dir: Noboru Iguchi
When his mother is kidnapped and a stranger calls, Naoto is thrust into a
public triathlon of death. DEAD SUSHI director Noboru Iguchi’s running
go at the survival-race genre is loveably lurid, super-sanguinary fun.
North American Premiere

THE MAN IN THE ORANGE JACKET
Latvia Dir: Aik Karapetian
A laid-off worker kills his ex-boss in cold blood, and assumes his
lifestyle. The good times will be short-lived, however as things are
about to take an unexpected turn. In a similar vein than Polanski:s THE
TENANT, Armenian filmmaker Aik Karapetian’s audacious slasher is this
year’s most groundbreaking work of dramatic horror. World Premiere

THE MIDNIGHT SWIM
USA Dir: Sarah Adina Smith
Spirit Lake is unusually deep. No diver has ever managed to find the
bottom. When Dr. Amelia Brooks disappears during a deep-water dive, her
three daughters travel home. They find themselves unable to let go and
become drawn into the mysteries of the lake. A phantasmagoric atmosphere
reminiscent of PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK emanates from this brilliant
debut feature debut. World Premiere

MISS GRANNY
South Korea Dir: Hwang Dong-hyeuk
74-year-old grandmother Oh Mal-soon has been magically transported into
the body of her 20-year-old self. Seizing the opportunity to relive a
youth she sacrificed in the name of her child, she sets out to explore a
world of new possibilities. And it includes K-Pop... Canadian Premiere

MONSTERZ
Japan Dir: Hideo Nakata
A sinister sociopath with psychic powers squares off against a cheerful
everyman with a secret of his own. The 2010 South Korean
superhero/horror hybrid HAUNTERS, remade by Japanese cult director Hideo
Nakata (RINGU), with stars Tatsuya Fujiwara (SHIELD OF STRAW) and
Takayuki Yamada (CROWS ZERO). Canadian Premiere

ONCE UPON A TIME IN SHANGHAI
Hong Kong Dir: Wong Ching-Po
Opium and kung fu! The glory days of old Shanghai — or are they? Two
generations of true kung fu experts collide in the spectacular martial
arts feast, with breathtaking choreography by Yuen Woo-Ping and Yuen
Cheung-Yan! Canadian Premiere

PREDESTINATION
Australia Dirs: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
Time, place and identity get folded, spindled and mutilated in the
mind-bending new film from Australia’s Spierig Bros (UNDEAD,
DAYBREAKERS), a noir-tinted sci-fi thriller with a soul, starring Ethan
Hawke, Noah Taylor and Sarah Snook. Canadian Premiere

PUZZLE
Japan Dir: Eisuke Naito
The staff and students at Noriaki Hill High School have been given a
game to play, one in which mistakes can be fatal. A giddy, gory
brain-twister of a teen survival thriller, in which vengeance is as much
a first step as a final solution. North American Premiere

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF WILLIAM ZERO
USA Dir: Dan Bush
A scientist awakens from a coma in the care of his twin brother, but
neither may be exactly who they first appear to be. A cinematic jigsaw
puzzle that delves into the darker side of science fiction, THE
RECONSTRUCTION… marks the return of Dan Bush (2008’s THE SIGNAL) and
stars Conal Byrne, Amy Seimetz and A.J. Bowen. World Premiere

THE RUN
Malaysia Dir: Ahmad Idham
A former soldier sets out to avenge his family in this slam-bang
Malaysian effort, bursting with spectacular stunts and fights,
showcasing Aaron Aziz. THE RUN is an action-packed gem that wants only
one thing: to blow your face off. International Premiere

THE SEARCH FOR WENG WENG
Australia/Philippines Dir: Andrew Leavold
Andrew Leavold documents his unrelenting six-year quest to discover ever
more about the extraordinary 2ft 9in tall actor-stuntman Weng Weng, and
the weird and wonderful world of 1970s Filipino cinema. North American
Premiere

SWEET POOLSIDE
Japan Dir: Daigo Matsui
Two swim-team members, a hairless boy and a hirsute girl, discover the
pangs and tangles of first love in SWEET POOLSIDE, one of the most
astute examination of adolescence to screen in a long time. North
American Premiere

YASMINE
Brunei Darussalam Dir: Siti Kamaluddin
YASMINE is a one-two combo of sports drama and coming of age story in
the vein of THE KARATE KID. First time director Siti Kamaluddin,
newcomer actress Liyana Yus and veteran action choreographer Chan Man
Ching form a winning team in this dynamic feel good film. The cinema of
Brunei Darussalam makes a regal entry at Fantasia! North American
Premiere
The Fantasia International Film Festival takes place in Montreal July 17
– August 5, 2014. For this year’s edition and onwards, Fantasia will be
returning to the freshly renovated Concordia Hall Cinema as its main base, which now features an even larger screen, new seating and upgraded projection and sound.

The festival’s full lineup of screenings and events will be announced on July 10.